Houlton School wins RTPI Award for Planning Excellence

Houlton School was named the winner at last weeks prestigious RTPI Planning Excellence awards, in the ‘Planning for Heritage and Culture’ category. This accolade caps an extremely successful year for the project, and is the third planning award won in 2022. David Lock Associates, who won the award with Urban&Civic and Rugby Borough Council, are delighted that the project and its planning has been so well received by the industry over the past year. The Houlton School project has fully realised the ambitions set for it: restoring the heritage of Rugby Radio Station and making it publicly accessible, creating a sustainable, distinctive and state-of-the-art school. An innovative and committed public/private partnership has created an iconic education facility in the heart of a new community, delivered on budget and on programme, almost entirely during a global pandemic. The judges felt that ‘the planning strategy, the need to overcome significant programme issues around construction and the engagement with the LPA were done with great planning skill. This entry looked at a number of SDGs but also exemplified the use of a significant heritage building as a community asset for all who lived in this settlement. The education element made it stand out, but also the use of unique and sustainable design solutions, whilst preserving the heritage character of the building.’ You can read more about the Rugby Radio Station project here.